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AGENDA 2012-17—culture
PPP: Akalis spent Rs 1,000 cr on poll
Strike by jewellers enters sixth day |
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Partymen seek Capt’s ouster
House pays tributes to Sunny Brar, 28 others
SAD-BJP , Cong may revive cricket
ties
Gurlal state BSP chief
Pollution: IIT team visits Golden Temple
Minister: Arhtiyas’ role important too
Will oppose inter-linking of rivers, says Sekhon
Gikki Sekhon murder accused denied bail
Youth killed for ‘honour’
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There is no cultural policy, frame one
Apart from facing a decade-long haul with terrorism, Punjab has shown a steady fall in all social indices; whether it is gender ratio, exodus of its youth, rise in dowry deaths and honour killings, or drug abuse. It is only through affirmative action on development, which needs to be inclusive of cultural activities, that these social evils can be curtailed. What Punjab needs is a cultural vision, which should be translated into a cultural policy that can be achieved through a strategic plan. It is a constitutional responsibility of the government to help people take pride in their tangible and intangible cultural heritage, which not only paves way for development — as has been shown by the success story of Rajasthan — but also helps people find ethical moorings, which are fast eroding under the wild growth of consumerism. LEFT TO INDIVIDUALS
In the rapid pace of change, cultural growth will not take care of itself. In a vacuum created by lack of a policy, it will get filled with trash, as we have witnessed in the case of Punjabi-pop music industry. Secondly, the government must recognise the fact that whatever little cultural activity remains in the state has been carried out by the unfailing endeavour of a few individuals. These individuals and private bodies need to be encouraged and promoted by the government. Punjab does have a Department of Culture and an elaborate Department of Language. Resources allocated to the Department of Culture have been exhausted in the making of Khalsa Heritage Complex, which is a welcome expense, but it has been done at the cost of neglecting all existing monuments and other intangible elements of culture. The Language Department announces awards annually, but the award money is so little, often writers refuse to accept it. The government headed by Capt Amarinder Singh (2002-07), had initiated heritage festivals in major cities of Punjab to revive cultural awareness, which was discontinued by the Akali government. Then, the zonal cultural centre is more concerned with enumerating the numerical aspect of cultural events, rather than enriching the fabric of culture. The Punjab Arts Council, which has now learnt to survive on the rent it receives from its auditorium, lacks direction. There are also the three cultural akademis, but these do not receive any funding. Surviving on interest earned on a meagre corpus, which does not give them manoeuvrability to plan events that might give a fillip to the yawning cultural scenario of Punjab. On paper, the government had promised them Rs 2.5 crore, in reality, the funds were never released. Since culture is not on the election manifesto of any political party, it remains last on the priority list of successive governments in Punjab. LOOK Beyond bhangra-gidda Though one hears a lot of noise about “Punjabiat”, it's been reduced to bhangra-gidda ensembles. Scores of genres of music, dance and folk theatre, and the rich tradition of Sufi poetry, do not find a platform to grow. The meagre resources allocated by the government for cultural activity are given without a thought for what it needs to project and how it wants to project it. Consequently, many great artistes that the state has produced remain unknown and unsung, while mediocrity receives state recognition. The same is the fate of private institutions dedicated to promotion of art and culture. The state has not created infrastructure, much needed for the promotion of cultural activities. As a result, the awards also make little difference. At one time, Punjab had a thriving theatre scenario. If the government could provide adequate infrastructure and a little financial help to get it going, a dynamic theatre culture would have emerged, and also produced a “thinking audience” to bring about radical social change. Often, promising artistes migrate out of the state. Those who stick around, fail to grow since they lack exposure to the fast changing art scenario outside. Artistes need good critique and interaction with senior artistes to evolve and grow, which does not happen in Punjab. The narrative for visual arts and music is no different. Compared to Gurgaon's burgeoning art galleries, the Virsa Vihars conceived by the government are not yet functional and are outdated as such. The government must have a clear cut budget allocation on its cultural agenda, and should hire professionals to implement it, rather than leaving it in the hands of bureaucrats. It should ensure that conservation of its precious heritage is not given to the lowest bidder of the tender, but to a professional body. It should revive heritage festivals. public-private partnership The government will do better to promote public-private partnership for conservation of heritage and promotion of a distinct state cultural identity. Because people have a right to take pride in what is theirs and it needs to be clearly defined and underlined through a well planned cultural policy. EXPERTSPEAK
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PPP: Akalis spent Rs 1,000 cr on poll
Ferozepur, March 22 "The Akalis selected more than 70 constituencies and pushed in Rs 10 crore in each segment. The rest was spent in other constituencies," he said. Also, the PPP chief said he feared that the electronic voting machines may have been tampered with. "Though I don't have any proof, this system (of EVMs) does not seem to be foolproof. As such, the medium has been discarded in most parts of the world," he said. He said he would request the authorities concerned to revert to the ballot system. The PPP chief was addressing party workers on the eve of the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at the Martyrs’ Memorial here. The PPP pre-poned its first anniversary celebrations (March 23) by a day in view of other functions slated to be held at the memorial tomorrow. About the party's defeat in the elections, Manpreet said the PPP lacked organisational muscle and funds.
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Strike by jewellers enters sixth day
The protesting jewellers said they were against the levy of 1 per cent excise duty on gold ornaments as it would lead to unnecessary harassment of jewellers at the hands of excise officials. They said they were ready to bear the enhanced 4 per cent custom duty on gold, but the 1 per cent excise duty and 1 per cent consumer tax were uncalled for. Talking to The Tribune, Rakesh Talwar, regional chairman, All-India Gem and Jewellery Federation, said the Centre was losing huge revenue from jewellers of the state. "Total losses from Punjab are about Rs 7 crore a day. There are around 50,000 big and small jewellery shops in the state where more than 1.75 lakh artisans are working". "Additional taxes will ruin this industry. Many small-time jewellers are already facing hardships. It is not possible for them to bear additional 2 per cent custom duty, besides 1 per cent excise duty and 1 per cent consumer tax. The Central Government needs to roll back the proposed taxes," said Talwar. Anand Sekri, president, Ludhiana Jewellers Association, said from Ludhiana alone, there was a daily loss of about Rs 1.5 crore. "We are already not doing well. Many of us have left the profession. Despite that, the Central Government is firm on putting additional burden on us. Jewellers all over the country are on strike since March 17 and as per our estimates, the Centre has already suffered losses worth Rs 800 crore". “Besides, the fate of around 1.5 crore artisans who make ornaments hangs in balance due to the unjustified policies. We are ready to work in a transparent manner. But hiked taxes will only encourage unethical practices and smuggling of gold," Sekri added.
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Partymen seek Capt’s ouster
Chandigarh, March 22 In another development, state Mahila Congress president Dr Malti Thapar said the entire state leadership should be changed immediately. Accusing the PCC president of being inaccessible, she advocated ushering in a young leader to revive the party’s fortunes in the state. At least 70 Congress leaders, including MLAs Jeet Mohinder Sidhu and Navtej Cheema and seven candidates who were defeated in the polls, met at the residence of MLA Randeep Singh Nabha here and passed a “resolution” demanding the immediate ouster of the PCC chief. The leaders decided to meet party president Sonia Gandhi to press their demand. The leaders criticised Amarinder Singh’s coterie, particularly one leader. Former MLA Sukhpal Khaira, confirming the development, said Randeep belonged to a hardcore Congress family and the party workers felt it was appropriate to meet there. Among those at the meeting were former ministers Avtar Singh Brar, Sardul Singh and Gurkanwal Kaur, former PCC president Varinder Kataria, Isher Singh Meharban, Mangat Rai Bansal, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Surinderpal Sibia, Ripjit Brar and RR Bhardwaj. The Amarinder camp, in a statement, has asked the party leaders to exercise restraint, maintaining that one person should not be blamed for the poll debacle. The statement carried the name of Jeet Mohinder, who attended the anti-Amarinder meeting, that of MLAs Laal Singh, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Kewal Dhillon, Rana Gurjit Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, OP Soni, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Sukh Sarkaria, Joginder Singh Panjgrian, Bibi Harchand Kaur, Guriqbal Kaur, Raja Warring, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Mohammad Sadiq and Ramanjit Singh Sikki.
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House pays tributes to Sunny Brar, 28 others
Chandigarh, March 22 The House observed a two-minutes silence in their memory. The House also paid tributes to Manjit Kaur, wife of former minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, and Sajjan Singh Dhillon, father of legislator Kewal Dhillon, and Jang Singh Sidhu, father of MLA Balbir Sidhu. — TNS
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SAD-BJP , Cong may revive cricket
ties
Chandigarh, March 22 Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD president, offered to revive cricket ties during the traditional tea at the Speaker’s chamber after the Governor’s Address where Governor Shivraj Patil was also present.
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Gurlal state BSP chief
Jalandhar, March 22 Saila, 42, was the party candidate from Garhshankar. He had
secured 18,358 votes (16.14 per cent). The party had dissolved all
committees and sub-committees at a meeting held on the birth
anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram here last Thursday. Party
national general secretary Narinder Kashyap had on the occasion held a
meeting with 500 party workers and asked them to propose the name of
the state president through slips. A majority of those present had
proposed the name of Mohan Singh, two-time MP from Ferozepur. The other names put forward were those of advocate Hargopal,
former Balachaur MLA, Gurlal Saila and PD Shant, a retired ETO whose wife
Hardev Kaur Shant had fought from Jalandhar Cantonment.
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Pollution: IIT team visits Golden Temple
Amritsar, March
22 The IIT has been roped in by the PPCB to undertake a study and suggest ways and means to restore the sheen of the shrine. Prof Mukesh Khare and Prof AK Nema from the IIT preliminarily attributed the pollution in the surroundings of the Golden Temple to vehicular emission, dust and smoke emitted from kitchens and generators of hotels and food joints around it. “However, we will come to know the exact nature of pollution, dangerous gases and particles contained in it and its enormity, besides ways to check it only after carrying out investigations.” —
TNS
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Minister: Arhtiyas’ role important too
In the city to attend the Kisan Mela, Tota Singh said he was not in favour of eliminating arhtiyas because the FCI and other food procurement agencies would not be able to manage the market of farm produce. He said the arthiyas were an important part of dealings between the farmers and the government. "We will try to form a system where farmers are not exploited by arhtiyas," he added. Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, chairman, Mandi Board, and president, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), said: "We do not want any middleman between the buyer and the farmers. The farmers must be paid directly". Jagmohan, general sectary, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Dakonda), said: "We want arhtiyas to go as they are the ones who have ruined the financial position of farmers in Punjab". ‘Extend benefits’ to boost dairying Dairy farmers who came from various parts of the state to attend the two-day Pashu Palan Mela, which concluded at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) here today, feel that dairy farming can be profitable provided the government extends certain benefits to boost the vocation. They said the relevant laws need to be amended to provide relief to the dairy farmers. Jatinder Singh from Channuwala village, near Baghapurana (Moga), said: "We sell our yield to milk plants. The law says that the fat content in milk should be 4 per cent. But these days, the fat content in the best of milk is not more than 3.5 per cent due to which we cannot sell milk in the open market. The law needs to be amended to benefit the farmers as because of low-fat content, our samples generally fail," he said. Sukhraj Singh said there were no marketing avenues for dairy farmers. "We are importing semen from Western countries to get maximum milk production. But the efforts go waste if there is no assured marketing of the yield," said Singh. Dr VK Taneja, Vice Chancellor, GADVASU, said the varsity was doing its best to get increased milk yield from animals. "On an average, the cross-bred cows give around 3,000-4,000 liters of milk in a single lactation (about 305 days), but the cows kept at GADVASU farm give an average of 5,400 liters of milk (single lactation)," he said. Farmers told to use pesticides judiciously
The Kisan Mela concluded today with the message of judicious use of pesticides and fertilisers to the farmers for the upcoming paddy season. Dr Taneja said: "Dairy-based agriculture can play a significant role in nutritional security since livestock productivity in Punjab is the maximum in the country". Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU, stressed on the use of green manure, pre-soil treatment and soil test based fertiliser. He said the focus of PAU was on making agriculture cost effective and profitable with focus on prudent use of natural resources.
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Will oppose inter-linking of rivers, says Sekhon
Ferozepur, March 22 He said the government had spent about Rs 4000 crore on modernising the canal system and on the distributaries and minors. The government had chalked out a plan to tackle the problem of water-logging which would be implemented before the onset of the rainy season. On the Sutlej being polluted by tanneries in Pakistan’s Kasur, Sekhon said the Chief Minister had asked the Centre to take up the issue with the Pakistani authorities but in vain. He said the state government would file a review petition in the Supreme Court on Hansi-Butana canal issue.
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Gikki Sekhon murder accused denied bail
About a year after young hotelier Gurkirat Sekhon, alias Gikki, was shot in cold blood in Jalandhar, attempts by the three accused — Jasdeep Singh, Amarpreet Singh and Amardeep Singh — to get bail remained unsuccessful. Their bail plea was dismissed as withdrawn by Justice Ranjit Singh this morning. The case is an embarrassment for the SAD-led government as the young hotelier from Jalandhar was allegedly murdered by former MLA Sarabjit Makkar's nephew Ram Simran Singh Makkar, who is also a SAD councillor. Already, a Facebook account, “Let’s Unite to bring Gikki justice - RIP Gurkirat Sekhon”, has been gaining popularity. It says: “The dead cannot plead for justice, it is the duty of the living to do so”. An FIR in the case was registered on April 21 last year for murder, criminal conspiracy and common intention under Sections 302, 34 and 120-B of the IPC. The accused were also booked under the Arms Act. The prosecution said Gikki’s father RS Sekhon saw his son standing near the main road along with Sukhdev Singh after he reached Baba Rasoi Dhaba in Jalandhar’s Model Town at about 12.45 am on the intervening night of April 20 and 21. At that time, Amarpreet Singh, Amardeep Singh, Ram Simran Singh Makkar and Jasdeep Singh, were “present there and were angry with his son”. The prosecution claimed Amardeep Singh took out his revolver and opened fire at Gikki. Amarpreet Singh and Jasdeep Singh raised a ‘lalkara’ (instigated) and Makkar took out his revolver and shot Gikki in the back. Gikki died on way to hospital. The investigations in the case culminated in the presentation of a charge sheet against the accused on July 11 last year. Subsequently, charges were framed by the trial court for the commission of an offence under Section 302, 120-B and the Arms Act. Counsel Vikram Chaudhri and Jasjit Bedi contended that the accused were highly influential and politically well-connected in Punjab. “Right from the beginning, they have been playing havoc with the process of law,” he added.
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Youth killed for ‘honour’
Ludhiana, March 22 The girl's family had objected to their relationship and had brought the matter to the notice of Happy's parents. Happy was kidnapped from the Dhandra area last evening. The victim's parents have accused the girl's family for the incident. After registering a case, the police questioned the family members of the girl.
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In the business of governance, the much needed hub on “development” has taken away the focus from consolidation of our foundation — our cultural heritage.
In the business of governance, the much needed hub on “development” has taken away the focus from consolidation of our foundation — our cultural heritage. In the past six decades, successive governments in Punjab have been so obsessed with economic (read agricultural) development that they have failed to pay attention to the cultural moorings of its people. The results are there for all to see.
Language is the vehicle that carries culture. In 2008, the Punjab government made teaching of Punjabi compulsory in schools, but it was not implemented with sincerity. How can a child be punished for speaking in his mother tongue? Punjabi channels and music videos are promoting unchecked vulgarity in the name of Punjabi culture, there has to be a censor for these channels and music videos. Culture is not about
'naach gana'; it is about the way people have lived over centuries. The government should create research based archives and institutions for promotion of culture. But, for all this, they should not appoint
"sifarishi" people, as has been the culture in Punjab.
We need affirmative action. To begin with, the Punjab government should restore its magnificent forts. Their maintenance will give pride and a sense of ownership to people. The government should avoid litigation on heritage properties - the mindset that "if we can't have it, so you too can't get it" has to go. Let public-private partnership work for conservation of tangible heritage. Nabha Fort, Quila Androon in Quila Mubaraq and several others are in dire need of conservation. The government should have a look at the Rajasthan model. They must engage professionals for these projects and should not leave it in the hands of bureaucrats.
Promotion
of culture rests on government support anywhere in the world.
But, the government of Punjab is least concerned on this
front. It needs to create auditoriums for prolific theatre
activity. I have nothing against raising Ishmeet Academy, but
what about other stalwarts the state has produced. Why is
there nothing in the name of Jagjit Singh? Punjab is the home
of four music gharanas, it gave Dhrupad and Pakhawaj to the
world, but there is no music academy to promote or research
our rich heritage. The government should invite artistes who
have contributed to different fields to have an open
interaction and draft a policy to bring culture on its agenda.
The Punjab government removed tax from all films - Hindi, English, Tamil, Punjabi - which took away any advantage enjoyed by Punjabi cinema. States like Maharashtra have defined a specific number of shows for cinema halls and multiplexes that is reserved for regional cinema. Many other states select a few films annually that promote regional culture. They are also given financial help; the same needs to be done in Punjab. Secondly, there is no film institute in the North like the
FTTI, Pune, to produce quality technicians and artistes for films and TV. The state should give land for such an institute, or attach it with an existing university to provide a three-year diploma, as the FTTI does. Remember, the talent that leaves Punjab for Mumbai never returns.
Ludhiana, March 22
Ludhiana, March 22
Chandigarh, March 22